New Delhi: A Delhi court on Thursday sought a report from the Tihar Jail superintendent on a plea by alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekar stating that he has apprehension of a ‘threat to his life’ and not to transfer his cell at the high-security prison in the national capital.
In the plea, Sukesh alleged that the DG (Prisons) is putting pressure on him to sign documents and he is also trying to shift him to Jail No. 3 from Cell No. 1, where he is currently lodged.
“Let a report be called from jail superintendent for the next date on June 13,” said Additional Sessions Judge Geetanjli Goel.
The court was hearing a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case against Chandrashekar filed under Section 44 read with Section 45 of PMLA for commission of offence of money laundering as defined under Section 3 punishable under Section 4 of the Act.
“There is prima facie sufficient incriminating evidence about the involvement of the accused,” the court noted.
Thus, cognisance of the offence under Section 3 of PMLA punishable under Section 4 is taken, said the order.
The matter will be next heard on July 5.
Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju had assured the Supreme Court last month that the security of Chandrashekar will be taken care of, but the latter has alleged that he was ‘yet again’ assaulted by the prison officials.
“Despite assurance on May 13, Chandrashekhar was assaulted by a policeman in jail on the same day in the evening. Thereafter, he was also admitted to the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital,” his lawyer Ashok Singh told IANS.
Chandrashekhar was arrested last year for allegedly cheating and extorting money from some high-profile people, including former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh’s wife Aditi Singh. Many Bollywood actors and models have been questioned by the Enforcement Directorate for their alleged links to Chandrashekhar.
In April, he was arrested in another money laundering case linked to the 2017 Election Commission bribery case, which allegedly involved a former AIADMK leader, among others.
Chandrashekhar has on multiple occasions claimed threat to his life inside the prison.
(IANS)
